The Birds Of Chernobyl

After the 1986 reactor explosion at Chernobyl, a large region around the power plant became inhospitable for humans. This 1,000-square-mile exclusion zone is still home to wildlife, however, some of which has actually begun to adapt to the radioactive environment. Certain species of birds seem to be producing higher levels of antioxidants, and exhibit less damage to their DNA from ionizing radiation. Though other bird species have experienced stark population losses and instances of deformed beaks, this adaptation is a hopeful note in the decades following the Chernobyl tragedy.